Indiana Section of the Mathematical Association of America
Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics

Citation to

Francis L. Jones

The Indiana Section Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics annually recognizes the accomplishments and contributions of Section members who have been identified as extraordinarily successful teachers in the mathematical sciences and whose teaching effectiveness has been shown to have had influence beyond their own institutions.

This year's recipient has dedicated over 30 years to challenging young minds to see the beauty and intricacies of mathematics through his teaching. Dedicated to serving his alma mater, he shares his gifted ability in mathematics by using practical instructional strategies to meet the mathematical needs of all of his students, whether they are students in general education courses or students of advanced mathematics.

This year's recipient has participated in the MAA throughout his career, striving to make the goals and objectives of the MAA a reality at his school and in its curriculum. When technology made it possible to enhance mathematical instruction through the use of graphing calculators and computers, he spent considerable time learning to use these tools and integrating them into his coursework. Even this last summer he spent considerable time gaining expertise in the use of Visual Basic in order to use this tool in a course he created on fractals. His attention to detail in these areas has earned him citations in texts such as For All Practical Purposes and Exploring Abstract Algebra with Mathematica. His leadership as a mathematician and as a scholar has also been recognized by his campus where he has provided the highest levels of faculty leadership for years.

A former student of this year's recipient, now a director of actuarial development in Fort Wayne, said of him, "[He] is an excellent teacher, he pushes his students to be their best and he cares about them as individuals. Teachers don't get any better than that." Teachers really don't get any better than that!

It is my privilege to present the 2001 Indiana Section Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics to Dr. Francis L. Jones of Huntington College.

John Emert, Chair
Indiana Section of the Mathematical Association of America
March 23, 2001